This week was great
1. I finished the Book of Mormon again, and so I've started reading it in Spanish with the goal that I'm not going to pick my English copy back up until I've finished my Spanish copy. I think Heavenly Father is seeing my efforts though because I feel like I've met half the nation of Spain this week haha. Okay, not true - but I did meet 10 people from Spain and that's way more than usual. I always love meeting people from Spain, even though people from Latin America are usually more open and receptive to the gospel, I just have such a love for the Spanish. I love their culture, I love their accents.. I just love them haha. The people I met came from all different parts of Spain, I met a couple from Barcelona - they spoke Spanish and Catalan! I also met a couple guys from the Madrid area, from Andalucia, and from Basque Country! They spoke Spanish, as well as Euskara! Only two of the ten people I met were interested in reading the Book of Mormon, but they were all such wonderful people and I know that Heavenly Father is mindful of them and that they're hearts will all soften in time.
2. Andrea!! Andrea is getting baptized TOMORROW! We are so so so excited! We aren't sure yet if we'll be able to watch, but either way we will get pictures and she will have made her first promise with Heavenly Father. We are super excited for her, ever since the beginning she was just so ready. This week was crazy for her though, and a couple days ago we realized that she was going to have her baptismal interview, but hadn't yet been taught the law of chastity - which is kind of important. So we kept trying to schedule with her and it just kept falling through - she lived too far away for the Elders to be able to teach her, so it was up to us to get through to her. So we ended up getting permission, and staying up until 10 o'clock at night (which is really late for missionaries haha) so that we could call her once she got off work and teach her the law of chastity so that she could have her interview the next morning. Luckily she didn't have any problems with it haha. But everything went well, and we are excited for her baptism tomorrow morning <3
3. I can't believe the transfer is almost over - this time next week I'll have a new companion! Since I'm in the office, I already know the entire transfer board, but we've been asked to keep it low key until Monday when everyone else finds out. Sooo... I'll tell you all my companion next week :) Let's just say, I love America.
4. There's a saying in Spain that goes like this: Tanto monta, monta tanto, Isabel como Fernando. The short history about it is that it's about the Reyes Catolicos, the Catholic Kings. Isabel and Fernando were both rulers of different kingdoms in the Spanish peninsula and they got married - when they married this became their motto. What it means is that neither Isabel nor Fernando is more powerful than the other, that they are equals. Many people come to Temple Square and ask me why it is that women can't hold the priesthood, or why women can't be the prophet and men can. A lot of people I meet on square, especially the women, are sometimes offended by the idea that a woman couldn't be the head of the church. I don't see it that way though. The way I see it is more like Fernando and Isabel - they were both powerful rulers, but they had different kingdoms. Arragon and Catalan have different strengths and resources. When the married, they had greater power and possession but only because they loved each other so much that everything they had they shared, and they respected each others dominion. I think that we as males and females were created differently for a reason. That we each have our own kingdoms so to speak, our own roles in the Creators plan. Those roles that we have can be magnified when we marry our husband/wife, because we can use the resources and gifts that come from each of our spheres and use them to benefit each other. We can be better able to serve others and serve God when we use our unique talents and gifts given to us as males and females when we use them together. So it doesn't bother me that women don't hold the priesthood, Isabel didn't rule Arragon, but neither did Fernando rule Catalan. Men and women were created as equals, with different capabilities and blessings, and I think the Creator did that for a reason.
That's about it for the week though!! I know my family just started summer break, so I hope everyone enjoys the beginning of summer and that you remember to read your scriptures. They're important :)
All my love,
--Sister Black
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